The Cactus and the Beetle
by Celtic-Memories
Summary: AU. Shino Aburame is an entomologist with strange magical powers. He can't get to sleep because his bugs are acting up. This has never happened before. It worries him to death. His days are endless studying, to figure out what's wrong. He meets a botanist and she vows to help him, but he's too proud to let her. One problem. She is just as proud as he is, maybe even more so.
1. Background

**The Cactus and the Beetle  
**

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**Disclaimer:  
**

I do not own any Naruto characters, powers, or outfits associated with Naruto. I do however own my own made up characters, setting, original outfits, and my original plot line.

**Summary:  
**

AU. Shino Aburame is an entomologist with strange magical powers. He can't get to sleep because his bugs are acting up. This has never happened before. It worries him to death. His days are endless studying, to figure out what's wrong. He meets a botanist and she vows to help him, but he's too proud to let her. One problem. She is just as proud as he is, maybe even more so.

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**Chapter 1 - Background  
**

...Shino's POV...

Breakfast.

That's my least favourite part of the day. My favourite is at night, when I'm studying and playing with my greenhouse. I have exactly 225 different species of plants on a spot of 10 acres of land, all to study the expanding count of insects and bugs that thrive off the plants. It's the perfect hobby, being an entomologist. Only I don't want it to be a hobby anymore. So last month I started teaching.

At first there were only two students, my younger sister Sarino, who also loves bugs and insects to death, mostly butterflies and moths; and the kid who lived across the street. His name's Kiba and the only reason he decided to be taught by me is because he has a dog, Akamaru. And Akamaru has serious flea problems. Kiba _never_ listens to me when I'm teaching, always running around with Akamaru and flirting with my sister. I finally decided to tell him to get off my property or start taking his learning seriously. He then decided to tell me to lighten up, and loosen up. Whatever that means.

So Kiba got a 'bit' more serious, meaning he finally took my advice and gave Akamaru a bath. But he still flirted with my sister and messed around... until he broke 6 of my plants that were vital to a very important specie of bugs! I fumed and told him to never come over again. His 'apology' was his dog Akamaru pissing on a few dozen of my cactus plants. He didn't know that truly was an apology. Piss helps the plants grow better and is actually an aphrodisiac for certain insects.

Since last month my student count has made very slow progress... what can I say? Almost nobody likes bugs. They hate them. They use sprays, lotions, gas, and chemicals to kill them or to repel them. Me, I don't know what I would do without bugs. I know. I'd probably move to Mars and start my own colony. Maybe.

So I have one student still. That includes my sister. It doesn't mean I don't take my studies seriously. It's the most intense, passionate thing I have going in my life. To see my sister's eyes sparkle when a new specie of butterfly is introduced makes my heart warm. She can't get enough of the little critters, and neither can I. Although I'm more partial to beetles. My current studies are on the Egyptian scarab beetle and the lore behind it. So far all I read is superstition... but there is a true mystery behind the sunrise story of the scarab, how all the colours reflect from its' body like a prism. Makes me want to travel to the East to see if that's true. Of course these stories are over 2000 years old... And the sunrise would be right before breakfast time... which leads to back to my earlier peeve.

I hate breakfast. Why you ask?

Because my bugs are having problems. Why you ask?

I haven't a clue. They started acting up just four days ago and are making me an insomniac.

Oh, what am I going to do? Study, study, and more studying...


	2. Insomnia

**The Cactus and the Beetle**

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**Chapter 2 - Insomnia  
**

...Shino's POV...

"Shino! Aburame Shino!" That is my sister's voice. She was very excited and I could tell that she had made another discovery, even before she ran through the living room so fast she almost tripped over the couch. I had just been headed to the greenhouse to take a few more samples needed to figure out this problem with the bugs.

"Hey, Sarino. The Guava Skipper just cracked from its' cocoon."

"Hai," she narrowed her green eyes at me puzzled, still with a smile.

"I know because you've been watching that cocoon forever."

She giggled and nodded ecstatically. "It thrives on the Dianthus. You were absolutely right. That flower is definitely one of the Skipper's favourite species of flowers. Oh the wings are so greyish black and striped."

I smiled, even though it was hidden underneath the cuff of my black undershirt she knew I was. "Let's go see then."

I knew even before she had a chance to ask the question. I could see by the expression on her face that she was about to beg to me to come and look at the butterfly with her. I don't know why I can sense these things about people, I just do. It's like the nature of a bug... By its' behaviour patterns I can ascertain exactly what it was going to do next. That's why I'm so confused by this whole mess of the bugs acting up... By acting up I mean not acting normal.

My trip to the greenhouse this morning only validated my meaning much more so than when it all started merely 4 days ago. Sarino skipped ahead of me until she slowed down to a steady walk as soon as we entered the heated place, so she would not break anything inside. Though my sister is a bundle of joy and eagerness, she is the most careful and steady-handed girl I have ever known. She could stab a single hair on your head with a needle, in barely a blink of an eye.

We headed to the Dianthus flowers where three cocoons were still intact, and one of them were broken. Sarino was darting her eyes to and fro looking for the little critter when I spotted in the shadows the Guava Skipper. Exactly like she'd described, greyish black with stripes. "There," I said, pointing my finger precisely towards the insect. Her head immediately darted in that direction and she squealed in excitement.

"There, I witnessed its' metamorphosis, but you spotted it before I could. And even in the shadows with it's dark shadows. You have such good eyes, I don't see how, with those sunglasses you have on."

Another one of my gifts... extra sensitive eyesight. My eyes are so sensitive to light, and I am exposed to so much in the greenhouse, that I have to wear sunglasses all the time... except when I sleep. My sister always bragged on me to everyone she knew, including her friends at the Bronx, Amanda, Sakura, Ino, and even the rich Hyuuga girl Hinata. Which was why I was expecting her next question...

"No, I won't go to the skating rink with you. Why you ask? Because I'm busy solving the puzzle behind the illness of our bugs and insects... You go and have fun. I'll be waiting here when you get back."

"Aw, Shino, come on! Skating is fun and it'll be at night so your eyes won't hurt. 'Course there'll be lots of neon and flashing lights, but that's not like the Sun. Please, come with me. Everyone's been begging to see you. They swear you've built yourself a cocoon, especially since you won't let Kiba and Akamaru come over anymore."

"Kiba broke 6 of my plants. Akamaru... he can come over. He helped my plants."

"Shino, you're so tired this week. I'm worried about you, I've never seen you this tired. Come unwind with me and my friends. And I met someone you might want to meet. Please, please, please..."

She continued saying please until I held up my palm to her. Skating didn't appeal to me in the least. I might have enjoyed it when I was younger, but I still would have quit early to return to my studies. "I have to figure this problem out or else it might get worse. I'm sorry, Sarino."

"Yeah, you're right. It might get worse. But if you don't get some fun and sleep soon, you'll only get worse and it will make it much more difficult for you to solve the problem."

I also have to admit. My sister's reasoning skills are top of the notch, too. Almost as high up as mine. My reasoning just goes so far as to prevent me from ever leaving a problem unsolved... which led me to declining my sister's request yet again.

"What if my insects and bugs die while I am skating?"

"Aw, they always die. Don't come up with excuses! Come with me, Shino. I'll be very sad if you don't. Besides, if you don't like it you can leave. Just give it ten minutes. I'll stay by your side the entire time, too. No, not to keep you from leaving! To keep you company. It's been forever since I seen you outside of the house. I might make you do the shopping for once, brother. Don't think I won't!"

For a minute there I actually thought Sarino was serious, even with her smiles and playful glare. And after that minute of 'thinking' she was serious I knew... that she was serious! Me? Go out shopping? Only my own flesh and blood could even pull off such a trump card!

"Sarino..."

"Oh, Shino, won't you please go? Or at least think about it... Tell me, promise me you'll think about it. We're going out tonight at 8, right after sunset. _Think about it._"

"How could I say no?" I said simply, unable to fend off my sister's impeccable powers at persuading me to do something I really didn't want to do. And that was 'thinking about it'. Because I am not capable of thinking about anything else other than my bugs when I am deep at study... not even of food. It's because of Sarino that I even get my 4 meals a day... including breakfast.

...Sarino's POV...

"Yay!"

I gave my brother quite the impressive smile after he agreed to thinking about going to the skating rink with me and my friends tonight. I just hope he actually does say 'yes' for a change. I sigh and study the new adult Guava Skipper and my heart nearly melts at its' wonderful colours and features. I notice Shino is watching the butterfly as well, floating and flittering about, getting some nectar from the Dianthus and sitting there. After a minute or so Shino finally walks further down the greenhouse to another section, the one with the plants that the beetles like. I turn my head to look at his receding figure, a long moss green jacket billow over his black underclothes, his hands in his pockets, his gaze perfectly straight forward.

When I know he's gone, near his bugs and not near me, I let out a fierce sob and my shoulders start to shake. I felt like a boulder had just hit me in the heart and there was still an avalanche to come. I wish Shino would loosen up... just like Kiba had said... My brother has been so closed up since... I only wish he would go out with me tonight... I just made up an excuse to 'meet someone new' to try and get him to reconsider. But still he's so resolute... Why won't he spend anymore time with his sister than necessary? Tears are running down my face even before I realize it. I try to wipe them away and return to my butterfly gazing when the Guava Skipper lands on my shaking shoulder. I sniff and smile, looking at the beautiful creature. Its' flapping its' wings and apparently looking at me, as if greeting me.

"Will you go to the skating rink with me, Skip?" I joke, giggling softly.

The butterfly remains on my shoulder for a while until it finally flies away and explores the rest of the butterfly section of the greenhouse.

...Shino's POV...

I know my sister's crying. She always does after I tell her I won't go out with her and her friends. She always hides but I always know. I can't stand to watch or try and comfort her. Instead I bear my teeth and continue my research and development with the rhinoceros beetles, far away from her section. I walk toward the peach trees with the early ripening peaches, and spot a few beetles already, eating the rotten pieces on the grass. I crouch down and place my elbow on my knees to get a better look at the little black creatures. One of them is already 5 inches long. I reach my finger out to that one, and not scared, it signals a response to me. His little horns point up towards me and I know what he's saying. "Hello there."

It's what he would say if he actually spoke. I can communicate with bugs and insects as well and can even call on them for help... I don't know how it works exactly but there's an electronic signal that my brain puts out that travels on the same wavelength as the bugs and insects. And we can work together for a while... One time in school, when I was eight, I hid four little hornet wasps in my jacket. Then I set them off on my least favourite teacher at school. A few more incidences like that and I was suspended from school... that was when my parents decided to homeschool me and my sis. Why you ask? Because I kept bringing bugs and insects to school.

"Oh no," I breathe out. The horns of the beetle touch my finger just as I spot another beetle nearby. It's dead... prematurely.

I quickly take out my test kit and work on getting samples of that beetle before it lay there too long... I hope that with these tests I can get a little closer to finding the problem...

What is the problem, you ask?

Three species of beetles, mainly the Rhino, are dying much earlier than they are supposed to, and by unknown reasons. Right before they do, the beetle takes on a sort of 'insane rampage' where it runs, or flies, as fast as it can in dizzy circles until it drops dead or attacks it companions.

**...4 hours later...**

I end up spending all day sampling and testing the Rhino beetle I found near the peach tree. It was when I found a mysterious compound mixed in with its' digestion... A compound that was not supposed to be there. It was unknown. I put it under the microscope and carefully lift my glasses to look through it. The patterns at which it grows and swirls is unbelievable and nothing I have ever seen before. The most expert scientists in the world would die to see what I have just discovered! A shock of exhilaration swells through me as I realize this. But then...

The compound closes in on itself. The swirling cells start exploding right before my eyes! My only piece to the great mystery... destroyed right before me. It has a self-destructive sequence... that I must figure out. But I'm too tired. I've been up since before sunrise... and I sigh in frustration, mad that I couldn't get that compound to remain stable enough for me to study it more. I rub my eyes and the bridge of my nose, stifling a yawn. Placing my sunglasses back on I lean on the counter in my test lab and furrow my brows at the thick pile of pages of very specific documents neatly arranged and categorized. Inserting a few more entries into the document, about the new compound. I decided to call it 'Chakra Circles' because I remember a theory in Hinduism about the 7 gateways in the human body that open up chakra flow. That idea appeals to me just as much as the Egyptian scarab beetle story about the sunrise...

But I can't think anymore. Or study.

Why you ask?

Because my cheek is sideways on the paper. I've dozed off. Now I know what it's like to be Shikamaru.


End file.
